


we go where nobody knows

by Vices_Versus_Virtues



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, american teenagers au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-14 20:19:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13597620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vices_Versus_Virtues/pseuds/Vices_Versus_Virtues
Summary: It all starts on a hot July night when Mark thinks that the only thing that’s gonna happen to him this summer is a tan and a haircut.





	we go where nobody knows

It all starts on a hot July night when Mark thinks that the only thing that’s gonna happen to him this summer is a tan and a haircut. 

The sky is still faintly purple, not quite black but it’s late enough for the South Carolina suburbs to be asleep. Mark awakens to the reverberating clang of a pebble against glass that has become familiar lately due to his friends’ recent obsessions with 80’s movies. Mark at first does nothing, rolls over in his bed and hopes that maybe it was the branches of the tree right outside his room hitting against the window. A few moments later are silent, and then another clang. 

Groaning, Mark drags himself out of bed. He shuffles to the windowsill, brushing sleep from his eyes. There’s a half moon out tonight, providing just enough lighting to make out the figure of one Donghyuck Lee standing in his yard like it’s the most normal thing to be doing at 2 AM. 

From the yard, Donghyuck sees a light flick on in Mark’s bedroom, and the older’s body silhouetted against the warm glow. He gestures for him to open his window, but Mark just shakes his head and the light flicks off. 

Frustrated, Donghyuck launches another pebble, then tosses a second one immediately after, enjoying the annoying clank against Mark’s window because he’s petty like that. Comically, the light flicks back on, and Mark’s window slides open

“What do you want?” Mark hisses. 

“Put on some jeans and come with me,” Donghyuck says.

“It’s 2 AM. Can’t this wait?” 

“Weeelll,” Donghyuck trails. “It  _ could  _ wait but look at us! We’re teenagers and it’s a summer night and I found an abandoned mall that I just have to check out.” 

“Go by yourself. I’m tired,” Mark tries bargaining, but he knows that there’s no negotiating with a whiny Donghyuck. He’s already searching his bedroom floor for a pair of pants. 

“I would go alone but I don’t wanna get kidnapped.” Donghyuck folds his arms stubbornly. 

“So you’re just gonna take me to get kidnapped with you.” It’s not a question, both of them know that. Mark throws a hoodie over his t-shirt and begins to clamber down the tree by his door. 

“That’s the spirit, Markie!” Donghyuck exclaims. His eyes glint with mischief and all kinds of devious ideas are surely being formulated in his head, but Mark can’t bring himself to back out and go back to bed. He heads down his driveway against his better judgement. 

“Alright, let’s go!” Donghyuck chirps, waving him on over. Mark sighs, questions why he’s even friends with such an annoying little shit, and waves his car keys around. 

“Look, if I’m gonna go to some creepy old mall in the middle of the night, I’m at least gonna get there in less than two hours, which is what would happen if we walk.” 

A smile spreads across Donghyuck’s tanned face, and he hops into the shotgun seat. “This is why you’re my favorite hyung, Markie,” 

“Whatever, this is stupid.” Mark grumbles, but he still starts the car and slowly creeps out of his driveway and into the night. 

* * *

“Turn left here,” Donghyuck says, gesturing with one hand and using the other to fiddle with the radio. In the last five minutes he’s changed the station five times. Taylor Swift was on when the car started and he immediately changed channels. Then One Direction was on. Donghyuck sang four bars of one of their songs whose name Mark can’t remember, before changing the station a third time. It was a Christian radio station. Donghyuck had laughed and changed it back to the Taylor Swift station, then remembered he hated that song, before changing it a fifth time. Now they were listening to ads for used car businesses and accounting firms.

“Here?” Mark asks, hesitating before he pulls into the parking lot of Fun Depot. “Doesn’t really look like an abandoned mall,”

“Wait, shit, I meant right. You needed to take a right back there.” Donghyuck says, once he finally looks up and he realizes he was paying no attention earlier. Not that he seems to care or anything. “You know what, why don’t I just drive us there? I’m no good at telling directions but I can find the place.” 

“Um, that’s a definite no,” Mark says. “Plus, you can’t even drive, can you?” 

“Yes I can!” Donghyuck protests. “I got my license months ago!” 

“Yeah, after you failed the driver’s test three times. Three!” Mark holds three fingers into the younger’s face to illustrate his point.

Donghyuck swats his hand away. “It wasn’t my fault! How was I supposed to know how to do a three point turn? Or back 100 feet?” 

“It literally says what you have to do on the website! How hard is it to check the website before going to take the test?”  

“Maybe I didn’t want to!” Donghyuck raises his voice. “Just gimme the keys!” 

Mark moves his hand, holding the keys out of reach, though the younger continues to grab for them. “Well how the hell did you expect to get your license that way? That’s literally the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard!” 

“It doesn’t even matter! I got my license anyway so just switch seats with me and I’ll get us to the mall!” 

At this point, the two are shouting. Mark takes a deep breath in through his mouth and exhales through his nose. He repeats this two more times, like he sees Taeyong do when their friend group is getting too rowdy. He feels better. Sort of. Maybe. 

“Are you doing that Taeyong thing again?” Donghyuck asks after several moments of silence. 

“Yes. Because it helps me calm down when you get too annoying.” Mark puts the car in reverse and backs out onto the main road. “I’m driving. Now where is this place again?”

“Take a right back where we took that left.” Donghyuck says. “Then keep on that road until you get past the Wal-Mart.” 

The next five minutes of the drive are spent in silence, the two boys watching the road and its little reflective bits making small orange patches of light against the black asphalt. Mark’s hands are clenched on the steering wheel and at every chance he gets to pull over but doesn’t, he kicks himself. Eventually, Donghyuck speaks up again.

“What do you see in Taeyong-hyung anyways? I mean, he’s cool but you used to hang out with us all the time.” 

_Us._ Donghyuck means Chenle and Renjun, Jeno and Jisung and Jaemin. And himself, of course. 

“Taeyong is mature. He’s a responsible adult. What’s wrong with wanting to learn from him?” Mark says. There’s something in his tone that stings, but Donghyuck doesn’t know why. “We’re gonna be seniors soon. It’s time we grew up a little bit.” 

“I guess.” Donghyuck stares out the window, guard rails morphing into silver stripes. “I just think you’re trying to grow up really quickly. We miss you. I miss you.” 

Mark sighs. "You see me literally everyday. I see the rest of the guys at least twice a week.” 

“You’re missing the point,” Donghyuck mutters. Then louder: “Mall’s up the hill. Take a left.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> pls giv kudos


End file.
